Combined book and slate



UNITED STATES PATENT t FFIC.

F. SHEPHERD, OE NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

COMBINED BOOK AND SLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,984, dated November 2, 1858.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FoRREs'r SHEPHERD, of the city and county of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combined Arithmetics and Slates for the Use of Schools, &c., as a New Article of Manufacture; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction, character, and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the arithmetic open with the slate below it ready for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the book and slate closed, suitable for being carried, &c.

My improvement consists in so connecting the slate with the book that the slate, (and its back) will form one side of the cover of the book when shut; and when it is open, the book may be opened to any desired page, or portion, while the slate will be directly below it, in a convenient position for use.

I take the arithmetic, when printed, and have it bound as shown at A, Fig. l, as attached to one portion of the cover, while the slate forms the other portion of the cover, as shown at B, Fig. l, so that the book may be opened at any page, at pleasure, while the slate will be in the most convenient position for solving any problem, &c., and when 'the book is shut, as shown in Fig. 2, it will be equally convenient with any other book, either for carrying or for the shelf.

Instead of having the slate at the bottom, as shown at B, Fig. l, it maybe attached to the edge of the common book cover, (as ata, or 3),) in such a manner as to be conveniently folded into the book, when not desired for use, yet so as to be conveniently opened out, (like a plate,) when desired. This slate attached in either of these ways will be equally convenient for the practice of drawing designs, maps, &c., thus rendering it extremely useful, and convenient, for the use of schools, &c.

I am aware that slates have been used in books, where it was necessary to turn back and forth, from one to the other, (which, in general, is attended with more inconvenience than where the two are used separately.) I therefore do not claim that arrangement, as such, as my invention, but- Vvlhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the slate with the book, when so connected, and arranged, that the slate can be used with equal convenience, and facilit-y, with each page of the book, while the page and the slate, are continually before the eye of the user as represented in Fig. l, and the whole is constructed, and connected, substantially, as herein described.

FORRE ST SHEPHERD.

1Witnesses S. THoMrsoN, R. FITZGERALD. 

